news commentary: due Tues 3/13 before school

[Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)]

Please post a commentary on any NTY article you read over the past
week: 3/12 - 3/18 (3/17 on the web) that interested you. Please
identify the article title and date.

[Quincy Shuda]

In Uganda, Few Can See Kony Video

By: Josh Kron

March 9, 2012

I found this article to be very interesting after experiencing the overflow of Kony videos posted on Facebook earlier this week. Personally, I wasn’t planning on watching the video until one of my friends forced me to. After the 30 minute viewing, I was near tears and determined to be a part of the movement to help end Kony in 2012. But after reading this article, a new perspective was brought to the situation. It never crossed my mind how the video was impacting the citizens of Uganda and this article made me realize that the movement here in America may seem like another example of the United States trying to spread their ways in an imperialistic style, without really considering the people’s true desires. The article talked about one Ugandan who was saying that the video can never have any impact on the true problem unless the people trying to help recognize and believe that the people being hurt can make the changes. By empowering the people on the ground, we can give them a voice and therefore a chance to win the battle against Joseph Kony’ Lords Resistance Army. It was a little bit sad to read this because I know that it is true. Americans seem to have the mindset that because we are the “strongest” we can fix any problem and we are invincible. But in reality, that may not be the best solution to fixing problems. Because if we fix everyone else’s problems for them, no one else can even learn how to solve their own issues which doesn’t allow for growth of the global community. The United States can’t take care of the world alone.

[Maureen McDermott]

The F.B.I announced on Tuesday that it will offer a $1 million award to anyone who can provide information about Robert Levinson, a former F.B.I agent, who has disappeared in Iran 5 years ago. The U.S. still believes that Levinson is alive, but the only evidence they have to back up that claim is a video that was sent to his family two years ago by his alleged captors. The video showed Levinson in a makeshift prison where he urged the United States to take any kind of action to help save him. Ahmadinejad and other Iranian officials say they know nothing about his capture or his current whereabouts, but how credible is Ahmadinejad's word really? Anyway, the F.B.I plans to plaster sings all over Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and basically all of Southeast Asia in hopes of someone recognizing him and having any clue as to where he is. The thing that kind of puzzles me the most about this whole situation is why the U.S. has waited so long to take any action to finding this man. He was captured 5 years ago, and this is the first effort, to my knowledge, of the government trying to save him. You'd think at least after the video of him was received then maybe they'd do something, but it's been two years since then too. This also makes me wonder how many other people, American or not, are in similar situations as Mr. Levinson. Jobs in the intelligence field can be quite dangerous, and by taking one on, especially in a foreign enemy, the likelihood of being captured or harmed increases drastically. Getting your hands on a prominent citizen of the enemy is any organizations dream, so I wonder how many cases like this are out there that we just don't hear about. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot. 

[Alexa Lee]

Odysseus Lies Here?

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Published: March 10, 2012

This article really interested me because I have always loved reading ancient Greek mythology and just ancient history in general.  I thought it was awesome how Robert Bittlestone in his limited spare time as a business man 'discovered' the location of Ithaca in the Odyssey.  It was brilliant how he thought of the idea that the isthmus of the islands of Paliki with the tectonic plates could have at one time been at a lower sea level.   Taking into consideration the location of Paliki and the isthmus, the fact that Paliki could be Ithaca makes perfect sense.  While reading this article I envied Nick Kristof, wishing I could visit Paliki.  It's amazing how Homer's intricate details and descriptions in the Odyssey match up so well with Paliki.  Observing these details firsthand like Kristof did would be spectacular, truly making the story come alive!  Although this discovery does not contribute much to the world, except to Greek myth geeks (like me :D), one has to admit it is pretty interesting.  However at the same time, I was wondering why this article was in the OpEd section of the New York Times and not the Travel and Leisure section...  This article, although very interesting, did not seem to have a strong opinion feel behind it. In the end he relates the Odyssey back to our modern era in that we are 'recovering from war' and in the Odyssey Odysseus returns home after the Trojan War.  However, Kristof seemed to focus more on  discovery aspect of Paliki as Ithaca as well as his visit, rather than the relation of the Odyssey and our modern time period.  Overall, I truly enjoyed reading the article because it was a nice change of pace after reading many depressing stories about Syria, Uganda, Afghanistan, etc.     

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Maureen McDermott]

Sorry I forgot to give the article for mine. But here it is:

F.B.I. Offers Reward for News of Former Agent Missing in Iran

By BARRY MEIER

March 6, 2012

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/world/middleeast/fbi-offers-reward-for-news-of-former-agent-robert-levinson-missing-in-iran-since-2007.html?scp=1&sq=fbi%20iran&st=cse

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Connor]

Obama Presses Netanyahu to Resist Strikes on Iran

By: Mark Landler

March 5, 2012

I thought that this article expanded on the difference in opinions between Obama and Netanyahu concerning Iran. Israel is ready to attack in order to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and the U.S. is more hesitant. Israel claims that the sanctions put in place against Iran have not worked that that a military strike is the last option and the U.S. has called for a longer time for the sanctions to work. I think that each leader is acting in their own country's best interest. Netanyahu is more easily pushed into war because of the direct threat of Iran, whereas Obama is more hesitant because it is not a direct threat and it is an election year. The article briefly touched on the Israeli-Palesntinian conflict at the end by comparing recent meetings with the two leaders to ones in the past. The article referenced how previous meetings were solely based on the conflict, but the most recent one had no mention of it.

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Leigh]

Egyptian Lawmaker Forced to Resign Over Nose Job

by David Kirkpatrick
3/5/12

I found this article very interesting, because I've heard of lawmakers resigning before, but not because they got a nose job. For all of you slackers that didn't read this article, basically this conservative Muslim lawmaker, Anwar el-Balkimy, wanted to get a nose job. The problem was, most Muslims do not believe in plastic surgery, especially not conservative Muslims. El-Balkimy suddenly got a great idea. He could get the nose job, wear a bandage and just say he got attacked by someone. Brilliant plan, right? Wrong. As it turns out, people noticed, and El-Balkimy's doctor ratted him out. His party was furious, and forced him to resign.

If you can't already tell by my tone, I think this story is absurd. Getting attacked by someone is really the best excuse you can come up with, Anwar? And you really thought no one would notice when the bandage was removed and your nose looked different? I can't believe this man actually defied his religion and lost his job simply because he wasn't satisfied with the shape of his nose. I really hope it was worth it... Anyways, if I was a member of his party I wouldn't say he "resigned." I would be upfront and say, "yeah I fired him because he tried to lie to us all."

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[James Lofton]

Pass the books. Hold the Oil

Thomas Friedman

In this article, the ever-insightful Friedman comments on the novelty of resourcefulness in countries lacking natural resources. As he explains, the exceptional case is that of Taiwan, a small island in the middle of a Typhoon laden sea, that lacks just about everything, such as simple construction materials, but does not lack intelligence. Its people, and most importantly, their education are the resource that abounds in Taiwan. The way I look at it, Taiwanese have adapted to the world around them in much the same way that Darwin explained in his theory of natural selection. They can't make money in the manner that the large countries do, such as oil, minerals, or timber to name a few. But they do educate their people to an extremely high level in order for them to make a name for themselves in business. And the results have shown, Taiwan has the fourth largest financial reserves in the world. Taiwan is not alone however, countries like Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Finland, score extremely well on particular standardized tests, yet have minimal natural resources bolstering their economy. There is the other end of the spectrum, countries such as Qatar, where oil is the economy, and the few people that are there are frankly quite dumb. I find this phenomena amazing. It makes sense looking at it now, but you can look at the origination of civilization, and see that natural resources were the key. In the modern era, business and capitalism is the fast track to success. While the oil rich countries of the Middle East may be bathing in wealth at the moment, it is clear that their lack of knowledge and resourcefulness makes their state of life very vulnerable. Countries like Taiwan however, will continue to set and example of the pinnacle in human ability. Maybe one day in the distant future, Taiwan and Finland will be the world's superpowers?

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Lizzy Hilt]

Russian Turnout Includes Thousands of Eager Election Observers 

By: Ellen Barry

March 5,2012

This article explained the skepticism of the Russian people about Russia’s voting system. Many first-time election observers were viewing the voting stations through video cameras to monitor the legitimacy of the events. This article also noted how the Kremlin has become wiser since the Parliamentary elections in December and started airing how the observers at polls fabricated stories to undermine Putin’s government, turning the whole situation around to make the observers look bad and not Putin. This is obviously exposes the governments desperation at this point. Their people saw through what Putin’s scheme was in obtaining presidency for a prolonged period of time, does the government think they will buy the absurd accusation? Although Putin claims that his government knew that his opposition was going to rig the election in favor of him, this is obviously the doing of his government. Another article stated how there were a large amount of votes in Chechnya. This cannot be the case so these video cameras recording the voting stations were not accurate,  showing that this was another scheme of the government to make the people think they had more control then they actually did. Putin is only hurting himself because it was predicted that he would have won the elections had he not rigged them. So why go through all the trouble to make yourself look bad?  

[Shefain Islam]

Trade Union Group, A.N.C. Ally, Holds Strikes in South Africa
By Lydia Polgreen
Published: 03/7/12

     This week, thousands of South Africans joined a protest movement led by the trade union, Cosatu, an ally of the A.N.C, in response to the injustices enacted by the government such as lower pay with fewer benefits and toll on highways built with tax money which revealed decades of disappointment and anger with the corrupt ruling government. This protest also recognized an economic apartheid in South Africa as many continue to live without electricity and proper plumbing while the government officials plan to celebrate their 100th year of corruption.  Combined with already high living expenses (especially gas), toll and lower pays have arisen anger among the South Africans who believe they have a right to reap the benefits that they have long struggled and worked hard fair in addition to the right to basic necessities and proper education for their children. However, despite the fact that A.N.C holds great amounts of power, voices are speaking out on behalf of the average South African citizen.
       As for my opinion on this topic, my only thought would be hope. The A.N.C, while a good and promising idea, has been so corrupt and selfish that they hindered the South African people to develop and live in a country for which they paid for in blood, sweat and tears. The A.N.C. was not the dream of revolutionaries like Nelson Mandela; rather, the A.N.C is just a rebirth of the injustice experienced during the racial apartheid. Like the article said, there is an economic apartheid here that needs to be acknowledged. This kind of selfishness and incompetence by the government causes many African countries to not develop and progress in the way they should. This kind of self-centeredness and greed only holds millions of people back from their basic rights and for what? A fat mans dinner? Tonight's special: A heavy salad of money drenched in the tears and suffering of your people. Please enjoy your dinner you selfish men. I find it hard to understand why these officials can't see the struggles of all around. Actually, I can. They are blinded by greed. Hopefully this movement will call for some reform but like the article said, there are many protests in South Africa. Will this one die out like others before it or will it thrive and go on to establish justice and inequality for all? As we saw with other movements, one march and one protest can change everything. All we have to do is wait and see since it is way to early to establish any predictions for the future of the A.N.C.

[Melissa Lee]

City Hall Still a Reach for Women in Mexico

By Karla Zabludovsky

3/7/12

This article describes Maria Dominguez’s concerns, yet hopeful perspective on her running for mayor of Cuernavaca in Mexico. Unfortunately, according to the history of women in Mexico’s government (little if any), she felt she only had minimal chances of being able to improve the community and lead the people. However, the National Democratic Institute continues to provide opportunities for women aspiring to be a part of local government in Mexico. The organization is associated with the Democratic Party in the US, further supporting the “Future Women Mayors” program here. I think this apparent US support provides a positive influence on the nation by promoting individual rights well visible in many aspects of American society, and in this case, the rights of women. Women still have yet become a significant part of government in Mexico mainly because of the restricting societal expectations of the patriarchal culture. Since the local government is the closest to their citizens, including women would gradually bridge a gender gap. And because women’s rights still remains a prominent issue universally, the initiative to promote them is a step in the right direction.

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Josh Klag]

Egyptian Lawmaker Forced to Resign Over Nose Job 

by  DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

3/6/12

This article talks about the first political "scandal" of Egypt's brand-new democracy.  Anwar el-Balkimy, An Islamist Salafi law maker, was expelled from his party when he lied about a recent nose job, saying instead that he was viciously beaten by a masked gunman. I found the article quite amusing, considering plastic surgery seemingly contradicts every facet of Islam, let alone ultra-conservative Islam. And putting Islam aside, this huge lie also had political consequences, as the Salafis had called for the questioning of the interior minister in order to find the culprit in the supposed attack on Balkimy. And as stated in the article, oddly enough, this is an encouraging sign, since the lie was exposed through free media and people unafraid to speak up, which could point towards an optimistic, democratic future for Egypt.

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Ashley Gubernick]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/world/europe/a-dutch-churchs-angel-is-in-demand.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=todayspaper
A Dutch Angel’s Cellphone Number Is in Demand
John Tagliabue

I found this article especially interesting because it is very
unusual. It is not everyday you hear about a twitter account and
hotline being opened for an angel! At first the phone number was used
as a joke for anyone who wanted to dial this statue, but then the
phone started ringing off the hook. Now people in need or anyone who
is lonely can call the number and talk to an "angel." I think this is
a great idea. We hear about the hotlines for people who are going to
commit suicide, or just need to talk to someone, but needing help is a
tough thing to admit to. When calling an angel you are not admitting
you need help from someone; to me it's more like praying. Children
under 10 are "the best" because they ask silly questions like "What's
for dinner?" The husband and wife are not sure how much longer they
can keep the hotline going because it gets hard, but it's fun too.
After the death of Steve Jobs they said the phone rang off the hook,
and I'm sure, since deaths occur daily, they get a lot of calls about
death. The range of questions and people who can call this hotline is
vast and I think, if continued, tweeting and calling the angel can
save lives of those in need as well as be a friend to those without.

On Mar 12, 9:42 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"

[Maddie Chapin]

Under Cover of the Night, Syrians Cross into Safety

By Kareem Fahim 3/6

This article really amazed me and interested me because although, in a way, this article sheds a sad light and meaning, there also reflects some hope in the depths of this and shows how the citizens of Syria are binding together and helping each other however they can. It shows the true determination of Syrians to leave their awful country and go to a place where they wont be arrested for taking their loved ones to hospitals. I also praise Turkey for giving the Syrians these refugee camps and think that in the future, these camps will really pay off and I hope other surrounding countries can do this same type of thing and extend this same branch to the suffering Syrians. Eventually, all of the Syrians escaping will be a burden for Syria and they will hopefully be forced into a position where they must change or else their country will dwindle to nothing. Also, I am curious if the government of Syria will put an end to this because with articles like this going around naming the people and the exact rivers they are crossing, I wonder if Assad will find out which is worrisome. 

[Josh Klag]

I just realized I posted about the same thing as Leigh, so here's a new one---

Top Pentagon Officials Stress Risks in Syria

By ELISABETH BUMILLER and RICK GLADSTONE 

3/8/12

This article states that President Obama asked for military options from the Pentagon, but they are incredibly reluctant and still believe in the effectiveness of economic and diplomatic pressure. I both agree and disagree with the view of the Pentagon in this instance. In a situation such as with Iran, sanctions are fine and quite effective. And while they may be reasonably effective with Syria, people are being killed as time goes by, and waiting for sanctions to work will cost many innocent lives. However, I do acknowledge the risks and problems associated with entering another armed conflict in the Middle East after just leaving another, and being in the middle of yet another. So, I would like to see some form of prompt military intervention carried out  in Syria, but not necessarily by the U.S.

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Allie Martin]

An Ambitious Chinese Party Chief Admits His Failure to Oversee an Aide 

By: Michael Wines March 9, 2012

This article was interesting because the Chinese governments likes to put on the facade that they are all united and nothing goes wrong. This proved that even the Chinese aren't free of political scandal. At a time when positions is China are being handed off to new people, a hopeful for the committee that basically runs the country has now lost most of chances due to one of his aides running to an American  consulate. The aide was the police chief of Chongqing and made a huge dent into the crime, taking out some wealthy business executives along the way. He ran to the Americans because of a corruption inquiry that is now under investigation. The political hopeful, Bo Xilai, said he failed to oversee his aide, Wang Lijun, and apologized for not fulfilling his duties. But it seems unlikely he can fall back into the good graces of a government where scandal is strictly prohibited. I think some political scandal reminds the Chinese officials that they aren't untouchable and as much as they like to criticize our government, they aren't so perfect.

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Ben Cohen]

In Uganda, Few Can See Kony Video

3/9/12 by Josh Kron
As most of us know because this video is all over the internet, the
Kony 2012 video is very inspirational and has created an immense
amount of support to capture Joseph Kony. The problem with video is
that it is not completely truthful and says many things just to
capture the viewers' interest. This article explains how many Ugandans
are unable to watch the video due to lack of internet access and
quality of internet access. The few Ugandans who did see the video did
not think highly of it. They feel as though the video deems them
completely helpless. They believe they have the power to change the
situation they are in. Not to mention Kony does not even operate in
Uganda anymore. the video falsely portrays that Kony operates there
and it also exagerates the number of child soldiers he has. I can see
how the Ugandans would not want people telling their story in an
untrue manner. It makes the their people seem week and submissive. The
movement to stop Kony should incorporate the African people and
present accurate information regarding Kony. Despite all the hype the
Kony 2012 movement is receiving,major reforms are needed to make it
ethical and successful.

On Mar 12, 9:42 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"

[Rachel Hochberger]

Armenians Are Shunning Song Contest in Azerbaijan

By Andrew E. Kramer

March 7, 2012

I found this article interesting because it seems fairly unimportant at first glance, but in actuality this singing competition holds much more than just music. I thought it was really interesting how an important ongoing issue has unfolded in such an unexpected way- a pop music contest. The author describes that "behind the boy bands, teenage heartthrobs, novelty acts and sequins lies a real-world conflict." And clearly he is right. The fact that Armenia feels so strongly against Azerbaijan that it is willing to boycott this contest to avoid them and prove a point shows both the pride this nation holds, and its stubbornness. It shows how countries' rivalries can escalate to an extreme and unnecessary level, and how a contest that was originally meant for lighthearted fun that unified countries has now only served to heighten tensions and spark up a decades-old controversy that needs to be resolved.

 

[Ben Cohen]

Quincy's post didn't show up when i first looked at the articles, but
I guess I'll do another one.
Dire Poverty Falls Despite Global Slump, Report Finds
By ANNIE LOWREY
Published: March 6, 2012
The fact that poverty is down despite the global recession brings some
surprising news.Most expert economists predicted poverty to rise
during the recession like it usually does, but the fact that it did
not is a very good sign for the developing outcries. Due to unusual
success of countries like China, Brazil, and some African countries
the poverty rate was greatly lowered. This could be a sign of power-
shifting, or just that the UN goal to lower poverty has restructured
the economic system to benefit developing countries. This is a very
good sign to me because if these countries are able to lower poverty
during a recession they should be able to lower it even more when the
economies start to recover. This shows me that with global cooperation
even huge problems like poverty can be improved. the only thing needed
is cooperation from many of the powerful countries. This is a great
first step in solving many of the world's problems and shows there is
plenty of good to come.

[Sarah M]

Italy Intensifies Its All-Out War on Tax Evaders
By: Elisabetta Povoledo
March 11, 2012

This article explained the severe measures Italy has taken recently to
stop tax evaders. Italy has not historically been a society of
taxation, and citizens are often able to splurge on luxury cars and
houses by not declaring their full income and therefore avoiding
taxes. But due to the country’s dire economic situation, the
government is cracking down on the seemingly lax policy. Prime
Minister Monti and his government are banning cash transactions, they
launched an advertising campaign comparing tax evaders to parasites,
and even conducted raids on businesses in affluent Italian cities. The
heavy enforcement has definitely drawn criticism from those who suffer
the consequences of their illegal actions. Many critics have
complained that Italy is quickly turning into a tax police state.
However, many citizens of Italy appreciate the government’s efforts to
tackle one of the greatest flaws in Italian society and help the
country slowly climb out of debt. Italy and Greece have been
criticized for not taking strong enough measures to fix their crippled
economies. Hopefully, the financial war the government is waging will
show EU members and the world that Italy means business.

I found this article refreshing because although Italy’s economy is
cast in a very unflattering light as of late, this article proved that
the government is taking measures to fix their mistakes.

[Drew Vollmer]

"Data Hint at Hypothetical Particle, Key to Mass in the Universe"
By Dennis Overbye
Published March 7th, 2012

Although this strays somewhat from the normal tales of war, terrorism,
corruption, and poverty, it still proves to be an article worth
noting. Recent data from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in
Batavia, Illinois have only further supported the endless search for
the particle dubbed "Higgs Boson". Also known as the "God Particle",
the particle is believed to be responsible for the creation of matter,
as allegedly bequeaths mass to other particles, such as protons,
neutrons, and electrons. Studies at the Fermilab Tevatron Accelerator
and Large Hadron Collider, as well as many other sites, all generally
agree with this recent study in Batavia. However, as with almost
anything in physics, actual results tend to fluctuate and shift with
each other study. One particular phrase often heard regarding the
study is that "the Higgs boson has not been discovered yet, but its
mass is 125 billion electron volts". The most recent testings however,
do seem to be pointing in the direction of the Higgs boson actually
existing. These results will be presented at an international physics
conference in Italy, and according to some, a definite answer is
suspected by this summer. If the particle is deemed legitimacy, it
will be one of the greatest achievements in physics since Einstein's
theory of relativity. Crucial to understanding the creation of the
universe and the Standard Model of high-energy physics, this discovery
could be a true milestone. This topic may not come off as relevant to
this class, but the fact of the matter is that such an achievement
could not be possible without the international collaboration of the
scientific community. Furthermore, such information is essential to
understanding not only our world, but our universe as well. I for one
take a particular liking towards this physics subject, and thus i dub
it as my favorite article of the week. I wish the best of luck to all
of those involved in this 40-year old investigation.

On Mar 12, 9:42 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"
<kenneth.sk...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Colin Castro]

Because of my previous current events post, I don't have to post a
news commentary.

[Addy]

 Journalist Is arrested in Bombing Against Israel

By: Jim Yardley and Hari Kumar Published March 7

 

This article is about an Indian man who was reacently arrested for the bombing of an Israeli diplomat in New Dehli. I was interested in writing about this because it fasinates me just how far and wide the Israeli-Palistinian conflict spreads. It might not be hugely far way geographically, but between Israel and India is three languages, hundreds of cultures and thousands of people. The ability of this conflict to effect that range of people is really astronomical if you think about it. THis is really a world issue and, the world needs to come together and fix it. Thes diplomats and innocent civillians and military personel that are killed every year wont just go away unless a real effort is made to end this conflict. THats the only way this will end, if the world ends it.

Please post a commentary on any NTY article you read over the past
week: 3/12 - 3/18 (3/17 on the web) that interested you. Please
identify the article title and date.

[Michael Wong]

China Acts to Give Defendants Greater Rights (Sharon LaFraniere) 3/8/12

China is infamous for rigged trials in hearings where individuals take on the government.  For years there has been a callingf to even the playingfield between prosectors, and for lack of a better term- there victimes, who have no chance to proove innocence: the best they can hope for is a reduced sentence.  After pressures from human rights groups and an internal initiative to restore some credibility to Chinese courts and other police/legal institutions the national party congress has decided to revise some of the overberring tools that allow the police & prosecution to force defendents into submission.  The most impoortant revision to court proceedings and arrests is the use of forced dentantion for up to six months without notification to family memebers.  This gives police time to waear down their suspect and deny him/her the ability to seek legal advice, which upon their release is generally useless as the prosecution has already formulated their case.  In a revised law the six month grey period would be shortened to 24 hours afetr which family memebers would be notified of a close one's detetntion.  Although the changes are significant, and almost unpresidentted in a country such as China, it doesn't mean they will have any real effect.  SImilar reforms have been made in the past and are generally ignored, and while defendents mainatin greater rights now all their lawyers can be prosecuted for presenting evidence the prosecution deems false so the ability or willingness to have ample defense is nullified.  Ultimately th gesture is hopeful for human rigts in China, however; the reality is far less promising.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

On Monday, March 12, 2012 9:42:50 AM UTC-4, Ken Sklar (Radnor High School) wrote:

[Erica F]

Syrian Official Says in Video He is Joining Uprising by Kareem Fahim
and Rick Gladstone on March 8, 2012

A senior official of Syria's Oil Ministry appeared in a video, saying
that he is switching sides in the year-long battle between Bashar Al-
Assad and his people. In the video, this man said Syria's government
was "brutal" and that he was switching to the opposition. While some
believe that this could be a turning point in this gruesome fight,
others disagree, saying that it's a good message, but not one that
holds anything significant. I think that this is a huge step towards
the Syrian people getting justice-this is a government official we're
talking about; Al-Assad pays his bills and he's rebelling against him.
That message says volumes about how some government workers may be
seriously thinking about where their loyalties lie. This could be a
monumental turning point, one that starts a trend that is followed by
others! I can't wait to see how this plays out.

On Mar 12, 9:42 am, "Ken Sklar (Radnor High School)"